Shrimp deveiner and splitter



July 14, 1953 A. R. MOKINSTRY SHRIMP osvznma AND spur-rm 7 Sizeets-Sheet1 Filed June 23, 1950 IN VEN 1 OR.

fiZF/d/ff). Mh? hairy ATTDRN EYS July 4, 1953 A. R. MCKINSTRY SHRIMPDEVEINER AND SPLITTER '7 Slants-Sheet 2 Filed June 23, 1950 INVENTOR.

5/570 R M-Wfz'ms/ry ATTDRN EYS July 14, 1953 A. R. MQKINSTRY 2,644,980

SHRIMP DEVEINER AND SPLITTER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS ATTDRN EYE July 14, 1953 A. R. MCKINSTRY 2,644,980

swam nzvsxmm AND spu'rmz Filed June 23, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jul 14,p53

A. R. M KINSTRY S-IRIIIP DEVEINER AND SPLITTER 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledJune 23, 1950 l llll! III .II !II INVENTOR. fl/Zs/az; fi/ /f/fz'msfryATTDRN EYS July 14, 1953 A. R. M KINSTRY 6 4, 0

' SHRIMP DEVEINER AND SPLITTER Filed June 23, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 54,I 711M117; T1 IIIJH fi 1". nny M l {I l l u? we 5; 59 v IN VEN T OR.

ATTDRN EYs J ly 14, 1953 A. R. MCKINSTRY 4,

min? DEVEINER AND SPLITTER I Filed June-23. 1950 7 Sho't's-Sheet 7 6a a.say/0. $1 .11. 671 12.

A'ITD R N EYB INVENTOR.

Patented July 14,. 1953 j i men "STATE s oFFic-E SHRIMP cavemen ANDSPLITTER Alston :R. McK instry, Brunswick, Ga assign'or, by "direct andm'esne assignments, 10 Seafood Equipment Corporation, Glynn County, Ga acorporation of Georgia ApplicationJune 23, 1950, :Sei'ialNo.f1'6'9,'808

holding and carrying the shrimp over a cutting "knife. Thelma'chine isalso provided with "ejectwing means for removing the shrimp from theconveying :means whereby th shrimp are depositediinto a discharge chute.The purpose of this invention isto provide a shrimp'd'eveining machinein which shrimp drop :into 'azfeeding chute and immediately assumethe:correct position .for accurate cutting and are automatically conveyedovera fdeveining cutter and cleaning 'sknife and in which the shrimpvare propelled and ccleanedby jets of water.

Various types of shrimp deveining machines have been provided where theshrimp are held by hand in the deveinin'g and cutting operation but thecapacity of machines of this type is limited. With this I thought :in'mind :this .vinvent'ion contemplates a deveining machine :into (whichshrimp may be dropped from a grading machin'e or the .like and in whichthe :shrimp are automatically. .positionediand"conveyed over. adeveinzing cutter, Washed and cleaned, and ejected with the sand andvein channel cleaned.

The object of this invention .is, thereforeyto provide a shrimpd'eveiningmaiihine .in which ;means isprovided for1positio1iing and'deveining shrimp whereby the .machine conveys the shrimp over adev'eining cutter with :the shrimp :a'ccurately positioned and in whichthe shrimp are also conveyed over water jets whereby the is'hr'imp aredeveined and cleaned. I

Another object of the invention .is to provide \aishriinpdeveiningimachine .in w'hich the shrimp are conveyed by iiexibleelements whereby the conveying elements are readily 'adjustable t shrimpof different sizes.

Another object of 'the-invention is to provide-a shrimp. deveiningmachine inw-hich the shrimp tioning and ieeding shrimp to the discs, arotary "tkni fe m'ourite'd between guide plates and extending into theconcave channel between the meetingi'sur faces of the discs for cuttingthrough the I she'll 'of the shrimp 'posi tioned in the channel and intoth'e vein oftheshrirnp, and a shrimp removing .isfinger extending intothe channel between the discs fordirecting the deveined shrimp into -.adischarge Jchute.

Othe'r featuries and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the :drawings wherein:-

Figure lis aside elevational view of the deveining fma'chine'with a:shrimp receiving hopper on the upper end 50f the ma'c'hine shown insection.

Figure 2 is'an' end elevational view on enlarged scale of the shrimpdeveining element of the "machineiwith the frame omitted and lookingtoward the end of the machine from-which the shrimp are fed to thedeveining means.

Figure 3isa-vi'ew on enlarged scale looking upwardly toward the undersurface of the deveining' element of the machine showing the rotarydeveining cutter andthe operating'instrumentalities :of the 'cutt'ertand:knife.

-i=-Figure 4 is :a longitudinal section through the machine taken online 4-4 of Figure 3 illustrating therelative positions of the deveiningelements.

Figure 5isacross section through the machine taken on lined- 5 0f Figure4 showin'gthe flexible shrimp conveying discs'with the discs and mount-,ing elements therefor and one side of the machine shown in elevation.

v Figure 6is a similar section taken on line '6--6 of Figure '4alsoshowing the flexible discs and illustrating the knife extendedbetween the :discs.

-Figure'-7 is a sectional plan through the housing of the deveiningmachine showing the de- -veinin'g cutter and knife slot through thelower end thereof.

Figure 8 isa detail illustrating one of the guides positioned atthesides of the deveining cutter illustrating the-mounting elementsthereon and with parts shown in section and parts omitted.

Figure '9.i's an end elevational view showing the :kni-fe blade holderwith the "knife and otherparts .removed.

Figure -10 is a detail showingan edge view 'of the knife.

.--F-ig-ure :11 is a detail showing one of the small-lf-l1bb61'r101161'8 positioned against the sides of the flexible discsfor lyieldingly forming the discs to compensate for shrimp of differentsizes.

.iEigurelQ is a detail illustrating ia'yokein which .arshrimp centeringT rod is positioned.

Figure 13 is a detail illustrating the shrimp Lcenteringrod that iscarried by the yoke shown in :Figure .12.

Figure 14is a diametric cross section through one of the, flexiblediscs.

Figure 15 is an end elevational view of the discharge chute.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts the improved shrimp deveining machine of thisinvention includes a pair of flexible discs I and II, a deveining cutterI2 positioned with the upper edge extended between the discs, apositioning chute I3, a shrimp centering rod I4, a knife-like finger I5,and a discharge chute I6.

The shrimp conveying discs I0 and II are formed of rubber or othersuitable resilient material and, as illustrated in Figure 14 these discsare formed with arcuate peripheral edges I1 forming a concave annularrecess I8 in the inner surface and, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6the recess I8 is positioned to receive, hold, and convey shrimp over thecutter I2. The discs are provided with mounting bushings I9 and theintermediate areas of the outer surfaces are provided with corrugationsthat receive corresponding corrugations 2I on the ends of hubs 22 and 23against which the discs are mounted.

The disc I0 is mounted on a shaft 24 that is journaled by bearings 25and 26 in a hub 21 and the hub is mounted in a side wall 28 of theboxlike housing in which the deveining elements are positioned. The hub22 is keyed to the'end of the shaft 24 by a key 29 with the hubpositioned against a collar 30 and the disc I0 is mounted through thebushing I9 on a threaded stud 3| at the end of the shaft 24 with thedisc clamped against a shoulder 32 by a nut 33 and with a washer 34under the nut.

The disc II is mounted on a similar shaft 35 with the disc positioned ona stud 36 and held by a nut 31 with a washer 38. The shaft 35 is mountedin a hub 39 similar to the hub 21 and the hub is positioned in a sidewall 40 of the housing. Pulleys 4| and 42 are mounted on the outer endsof the shafts 24 and 35, respectively, and the pulleys are secured inposition by set screws 43.

The deveining cutter I2, which may be in the form of a circular saw andis here shown as having teeth 44 in the peripheral edge is mounted on ahub 45 on a shaft 46 with the cutter clamped in a recess 41 by a nut 48with a washer 49 and the shaft is journaled in a hub 50 with bearings 5|and 52. The outer end of the shaft is provided with a pulley 53 that issecured on a stud 54 at the end thereof by a set screw 55.

The cutter I2 extends upwardly through guide plates 56 and 51, as shownin detail in Figure 8 and the guide plates are mounted between flanges58 and 59 of a base plate 60 forming the bottom of the housing. With theparts formed in this manner the guide plates 56 and 51 hold the loweredges of the discs I0 and II separated, as illustrated in Figure 5 andthe cutter I2 extends upwardly through the plate where it is positionedto engage shrimp held between the discs.

The hub 50 in which the shaft 46 upon which the rotary cutter I2 isjournaled is pivotally mounted by shafts 6| in bearings 62 and 63 on theunder surface of the base plate 60 through arms 64 and 65 with hubs 66and 61, respectively positioned on the shaft 6|. The bearing 62 isprovided with an arcuate cam surface 68 that extends through a slot 69in the hub 10 and the hub 10 clamps the arms 64 and 65, which supportsthe cutter I2, in selected adjusted positions by means of the clampscrew 1I having a head 12 with a handle 13 extended therefrom. The clampscrew extends through the hub 10 and is threaded into a boss 14 on thearm 64.

on the end members 83 of a supporting frame having corresponding endmembers 84' at the opposite side and the motor is positioned on aplatform 85 supported between the end members by angles 86 and 81.

V which are held in ears I03 and I04.

The belt 15 is held in tension by an idler 88 carried in the end of anarm 89, the arm being pivotally mounted on a diagonal strut 90 of theframe by a pin 9| and resiliently held by a spring 92.

The flexible discs I0 and I I are also rotated from the shaft 11 withbelts 93 trained over pulleys 94 on the shaft 11 and also over thepulleys 4| and 42 on the shafts 24 and 35, respectively.

The flexible discs I0 and I I are retained in the deformed position, asillustrated in Figure 5 by rollers 95 and 96, of resilient material, therollers being journaled on stub shafts 91 and 98 in the outer ends ofarms 99 and I00 and the arms being journaled on shafts IOI, and I02,respectively The arms 99 and I00 are shown in detail in Figure 11wherein the arm I00 is illustrated and each arm is provided with a hubI05 at one end and a flange I06 at the other with the stub shafts 91 and98 mounted in the flanges I 06 by threaded studs I 01 and nuts I08. Theouter ends of the stub shafts are provided with heads I09. These rollers95 and 96 bear against the outer surfaces of the concave areas of theflexible discs, as illustrated in Figure 5 whereby the discs are urgedinwardly at points spaced from the peripheries so that shrimp may bepositively secured therebetween. The arm 99 is retained in position onthe shaft IOI by a pin I I0 and the arm I00 is secured in position onthe shaft I02 byapin III.

The flexible discs are also urged inwardly by resilient knobs H2 and II3 which are carried by the upper ends of springs H4 and H5,respectively and the springs are carried by blocks H6 and H1 and arepivotally mounted on pins H8 and H9 between ears I20 and I2I,respectively and the blocks are held in adjusted positions by thumbscrews I22 and I23, as shown in Figure 6. By these elements the walls ofthe discs are urged inwardly to firmly grip the shrimp as the shrimppass over the rotary cutter I2.

The rollers 95 and 96 are actuated by springs I24 and I25 positioned atthe end of the housing with the springs connected to the ends of armsI26 and I21, respectively and to adjusting screws I28 and I29, the outerends of which are provided with thumb nuts I30 and I3I, respectively,and the nuts are positioned against the plates I32 and I33 through whichthe screws I28 and I29 extend. By this means the tension on the rollers95 and 96 is adjustable.

The shrimp are fed to the machine through the positioning chute I3, theupper edge of which is provided with a flange I34 that is mounted on theupper end of the housing and the chute is held in position by a bracketI35 which is mounted on the end wall I36 by screws I31 and I38, and aprojection I39 that is connected by a pin I40 in bars I4I on the ends ofthe guide plates 56 and 51.

The centering rod I4 is suspended by outwardly diverging arms I42 andI43 to which it is attached by spaced rivets I 44 and I45 and the upperends of the arms are pivotally mounted on a rod I46 extended throughside walls ofthe chute I3, as shown in Figure 5. A spring 1I41 isprovided on the rod I46 and one end of the spring is positioned toengage a stop I48 on the inner surface of the chute with the oppositeend I49 extended over the arm I43 of the centering rod. By this meansthe rod I4 is resiliently urged into engagement with the shrimp passinginto thecavity between the discs from the chute I3;

The upper end of the chute I3 is provided with spray nozzles I58 and IIand the nozzles are provided with corrugated nipples I52 and I53,respectively over which the ends of watersupplying hose are positioned.

The knife-like finger member I5, as shown in detail in Figure 10, isprovided with a pin I54; the ends of which are positioned in recessesI55 in the edges of a knife holderl56 which is slidably mounted betweenthe guide plates 56 and 51 and secured in position by a spacing bar I51and a bar I58 through which a passage I59 extends. The bar I58 isprovided with an extended lip I68 at the outer end and the-inner end isprovided with a corrugated nipple I6I to which the end of a hose'may beconnected.

' The knife holder I56 is provided with a pin I62, and the pin I62 ispositioned in slots I63 of a fork I64 that is pivotally mounted in abracket I65 by a shaft I66. The oppositeend of the shaft is providedwith an arm' I61 which is pivotally connected to a yoke I68 on a rod I69by a screw I10. A yoke I'II on the opposite end of the rod is connectedto a screw I12 by a screw I13.

The screw I12 extends through av socket I14 that is provided with athreaded outer surface and that is threaded through a split bracket Ithe sections of which are clamped around the socket by a screw I16having a thumb nut I11 on the outer end thereof. A look washer I18 isthreaded on the screw I 12 and positioned against the end of the socketI14 and the washer is secured in position by a thumb. nut I19. Theopposite end of the socket I14 is provided with a knurled disc I88andthe outer end of the screw I12 is provided with a cap I8I that isthreaded on the end of the screw and positionedin the outer end of thesocket I 14 where it is urged outwardly by a spring I82. By this meansthe posi tion of the knife member I5 is readily adjustable and shouldthe knife engage an obstruction it may pass beyond the periphery of theflexible discs. I

A stop I83 is pivotally mounted on a projection I64 by a pin I85 andthis stop is positioned to prevent the knife holder I56'moving out ofthe slot I63. e

The spacing plate or bar I51 is provided with a projection I86 to whichclips I81 are connected by a pin I88 and the clips I81 are securedltotheunder surface of the discharge chute I6.

A bracket I89 extends across the upper end of the discharge chute withthe ends connected to the sides of the chute by rivets I98 and I9I andthe bracket is provided with a U-shape socket I92 through which a hoseI93 extends as illustrated in Figure 4. With the hose secured'in thesocket I92 the nozzle end I94 is positioned to spray liquid on theshrimp as the shrimp are in engagement with the deveining cutter I2,

A spring finger I95 is mounted on the bracket I89, under the socket I92,as shown in Figure 4 and the tip of the finger extends between theflexible discs III and II for removing shrimp after having the shell outand vein channel removed connection provided to the nozzle I94 and an Iby'the rotary cutter I2, and the cut washedfb water from the nozzle I94.,The shrimpjare'then upwardly away from the'recess.

removed by the finger-like knife member I5 and dropped into thedischarge chute I6 from which they are packed and stored. m

A spacing plate I96 is provided'betweenjthe guide plates 56 and51 fordeflecting: sands and the like cut from the vein of the shrimp do'wiiwardly. 1

A receiving hopper I9! is positionedupon the upper endofthe frame of themachine andithe hopper is provided with an opening lea-wan s flange I99extended around the opening and as illustrated in Figure 1 the openingis positioned to receive the upper end of the position ng chute I3. v HA water supply header 280 is mounted on the frame and the header isprovided with afipiu rality of outlet connections 201 having valv es2II2 therein and branches from the ends of theuppei' valves are connectedby tubes 203 and 284to the nipples I52 and I53, respectively, withanother other to the nipple I6I whereby water is supplied to jetsdistributed over the machine It has been established by tests thatbecause 'of the circular path of movement and' arcuate. form of theshrimp the fiexible'discs accurately cen ter theshr imp and therebyeliminate the ynece se sity of a thick cutting'blade. It hasalsoheridetermined by tests that shrimp dropped the comparatively thin chute I3,automatically assume the correct position for 'accuratecuttingordeveining and, therefore; withth'e pansar ranged in this manner thisshrimp fdroppedintd the chute I3 are positioned for deveining'and fromthe chute the shrimppass' directly intothe flexible discs'with thecentering rod I4 holding the shrimp whereby the V-shapei'an tailo'f theshrimp engages the rod and is urged into thecircular recesses orcavities of the discs, the rod also preventing the tail'of the shrimpworking I The discs III and II convey the shrimp over the rotary cutter;I2 by which the shell is cut and the vein Channel removed. This, incombination 1 with the water spray of the nozzle I94, removesthe sand sothat the cleaned shrimp are caughtby'th'e spring finger I and urged intothe chute I6.

It will be understoodthat modifications may be made in the designv andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention. r I i What is claimed is:

1'.- A machineifor deveining shrimp comprising each other, said discshaving annular recesses on their opposed faces, a rotary cutter mountedonsaid frame structure beneathv said and extending into the area-betweensaiddiscs at their lower sections .of near. abutment, nieaiisf mountedon said frame structure for, feeding. shrimp to. the recesses of saiddiscs, means o'peratively associated with said discs and cutter forrotating the same, and means mounted on said frame for removing theshrimp fromsai'd' discs after the shrimp have passed over said rotarycutter.

2. A machine for deveining shrimp comprising a frame structure, angularmounting means 7 said frame structure for a pair of opposedrotatableflexible discs 'w ith lowersections of the peripheries of saiddiscsinnear abutting relationship and the remainingse'ctions of theperipheries of said discs .being in progressively spaced relationshipwith each'otherfs'aid discs having annular recesses on their opposedfaces adjacent the peripheries thereof, a rotary deveining cuttermounted 'on said frame structure beneath said discs and positioned toextend be tween said discs at their lower sections of nearabutment'andintothe areaprovided by saidreces'ses, means operatively],associated with said and cutter for rotating the same, a V- shaped,delive1y chuternounted on'said frame structure adjacentsaiddiscs andsaid cutter to feed shrimp to the recesses of said discs, adischargechute mounted on said frame structure on the opposite side of said discsand said outters,v and a resilient finger extending between said discsadjacent 'to' said discharge chute to direct shrimp'from said discs tosaid discharge chute. A machine of the type in claim 2 wherein saiddelivery chute is provided with means for properly positioning andconveying the shrimp therein for delivery to said discs 4.fA;machine of.the type in claim 3 wherein said positioning meansv includes apluralityof nozzlesfor delivering water at a high'pressure and in a finestream.

I j 5. A'ma'chine for deveining shrimp comprising aframe'structure,apairof angularly opposed rubber discs .having. annular recesses ontheir opposed faces adjacent the outer peripheries thereof, means. onsaid frame structure for mounting said discs so that lower sections ofthe peripheries of said discs are in near abutting relationship and theremaining sections of the peripheries of said discs in progressivelyspaced relationship with each other, a rotary cutter mounted on saidframe structure beneath said discs and extending into the area betweensaid discs at their lower sections of near abutment, a V-shaped deliverychutemounted on saidframe structure above said discs to feed shrimp'tosaid discs, a resilient guide member mounted in said chute and extendingadjacent the bottom thereof, high pressure water. jets, mounted adjacentsaid chute for directing the shrimp down said chute and into therecesses of said discs, means operatively associated with said discs andcutter forrotating the same, a discharge chute mounted on said framestructure for receiving the deveined shrimp from said discs, a resilientfinger mounted onsaid discharge chute and extending between said discsto direct the deveined shrimp to said discharge chute. V

6. A machine for devening shrimp which comprises a frame structure, apair of angularly opposed discs having annular recesses on their opposedfaces adjacent the peripheries thereof, means on said frame structurefor mounting said discs so that lower sections of the peripheries ofsaid discs are in near abutting relationship and the remaining sectionsof the peripheries of said discs in progressively spaced relationshipwith each other, a rotary cutter mounted on said frame structure beneathsaid discs and extending into the area between said discs at their lowersections of near abutment, a V-shaped delivery chute mounted on saidframe structure for delivering shrimp to the recesses of said discs,resilient rollers mounted on said frame structure and positioned toengage the outer surface ofsaid discs in orderto retainthe near abuttingperipheralsections of the discs in gripping relationship with shrimpcarried by the recesses, means operatively associated with said rollersand resiliently urging said rollers against the-surfaces of said discs,and means operatively associated with said discs for removing. theshrimp from the discs'after they have passed over said rotary cutter.

'7. In a shrimp deveining machine, the combination comprisinga-framestructure, a pairof opposed rubber discs :rotatably mounted on saidframe. structure, said disc s having annular concave recesses on theiropposed inner faces adjacent the peripheries thereof, said discs-havingtheir opposed facesangularly disposed relative to eachfother in a mannerso that the lower sections of said discsare in near abutment, guideblades mounted on said frame structure and extending upwardlybetweensaid discs to prevent the lower sections thereof from having contactwithfeach 'other, a rotary cutter mounted on said frame structureandextending upwardly between said guide plates and into the area betweenthe annular recesses on the opposed faces of said discs, a V-shapeddelivery chute mounted on said frame structure for delivering shrimp tosaid discs, a resilient finger mounted on said chute and extendingadjacent the bottom thereof to maintain said sh'rimp'in position forengagement by said discs, resilient rollers mounted on said framestructure to engage the outer surfaces of said discs, spring actuatedknobs bearing'against the outer surfaces of said discs to insure contactof said discs with the shrimp being processed, a' discharge chutemounted on said frame structure and positioned on the discharge side ofsaid discs and cutter, and means operatively associated with said discsfor directing the shrimp from said discs to said discharge chute, andnozzles positioned in said V-shaped delivery chute to-direct a stream ofwater under high pressure in a manne'r so as to deliver the shrimp fromsaid delivery chute to said discs.

, SQfAmachinefor deveining shrimp comprising a framestructure, annularmounting means on said'frame structure for a pair of opposed discs withlower sections of the peripheries of said discs in near abuttingrelationship and the remaining sections of the peripheries of said discsbeing in progressively spaced relationship with each othepa rotarycutter mounted on said frame structure beneath said discs and extendinginto the area between said discs at their lower sections of 'nearabutment, means mounted on said frame structure for. feeding shrimp tosaid discs, meansoperatively associated with said discs and cutterforrotating the same, and means mounted on said frame for removing theshrimp from said discs after the shrimp have passed over said. rotarycutter.

' ALSTON R. MCKINSTRY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,034,691 Bottker et al. Mar. 24, 1936 2,263,696 Grayson Nov.25, 1941 2,263,697. Grayson Nov. 25, 1941 2,293,133 Halferty Aug. 18,1942 2,470,289. Christiansen May 17, 1949 1 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 66,094- ,,,Norway Apr. 12, 1943

